Match-receptacle



(No Model.)

J. O. HALE. MATCH REGEPTAGLE.

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- UNITED ST TES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES O. HALE, OF BYFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MATCH-RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551 ,819, dated December 24, 1895.

A li ti {fl d July 17, 1895. Serial No. 556,282. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES O. HALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Byfield, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Matchlteceptztcles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in match safes or receptacles, and it has for its object the provision of a simple and cheaply-constructed device of the character named which when attached to the wall of a room will present a neat and at tractive appearance, and which is provided with a receptacle or compartment for the reception and storage of matches, the said compartment being provided with a door or cover which will automatically close when a match has been removed, the construction being such as to effectually protect the matches within the compartment from being accidentally ignited by the dropping therein of sparks or from other cause.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision in connection with the receptacle of an open tray held in place by gravity within a space provided for its reception upon the top of the receptacle, the said tray being provided with a suitable handle for use in placing or removing the tray, and when in position the tray will effectually conceal from view the nails or other devices by which the receptacle is attached to the wall.

A roughened surface is provided upon the lower face of the receptacle convenient for use in scratching matches.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists in the novel construction and in the peculiar combination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which drawings 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a matchsafe embodying my invention, the tray for holding the burned matches being shown as lifted out of its chamber but in its relative position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the under face of the device. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the match safe or receptacle, which is preferably made of sheet metal, and may be of any desired size or general form of construction, excepting as to its front face and top portion, wherein reside the essential features of my invention.

The front face of the device is, as will be seen in the accompanying drawings, inclined inwardly from top to bottom, as shown at 13, thus providing a broad top and narrowed bottom. This front face of the device is provided with an opening through which access is had to the chamber 0, which is intended as a receptacle for matches. The opening referred to is provided with a cover D, which is hinged at its upper edge to the upper front edge of the chamber, the hinges d being upon the inside of the chamber, and thus not exposed to view. It will be seen that by this construction the door will open inwardly when the hand is pressed against it in removing matches from the chamber, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and it will also be understood that when the hand is withdrawn the cover will be automatically closed by gravity.

The top plate E of the device is, as will be seen, inclined downward from front to rear, the side and rear walls of the device being extended upward, so that their upper edges will, when the device is secured in proper position upon the wall, be in a horizontal plane, thus providing upon the top of the safe a space having a considerable depth at the rear Wall, and within this space is seated a tray F of such form as to nicely fit within the space. This tray F is at its rear edge provided with a suitable handle G, which in the present instance I have shown as formed integral with the rear portion of the tray by extending the same upward and bending its extreme and narrowed end over to form a hook or handle, as shown.

The device is attached to the wall by nails II or other suitable securing means, which are passed through the rear wall at points above the top E, and it will be seen that when thus secured the nails will be hidden from view when the burned-match tray is in place, shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will be seen that by my construction as above described a match safe is provided wherein a receptacle is so placed as to preclude the possibility of accidentally dropping sparks into the chamber, and that a burned match tray is so placed as to have it at all times convenient for use, and at the same time not liable to accidental displacement, while capable of being easily removed or replaced when desired.

The bottom face of the safe is provided with aroughcned surface I, as is common in matchsafes.

Having; thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to soon re by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with the match receptacle having a top inclined downward i'ro n front to rear and its rear wall provided with openings for the reception of its supporting means, of a tray fitted to the space above said inclined top and having its rear side extended to form a handle and covering the said openings and securing means, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES O. HALE. \Vitnesses:

JOSEPH I-I. KENT, F. L. FERGUSON. 

